Literature MFA Course Descriptions WI25

Pre-authorization is required for students not enrolled in the Literature Department's MFA Program in Creative Writing. Please submit any pre-authorization request through the Enrollment Authorization System.

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LTWR 215 - CROSS-GENRE WORKSHOP
Instructor: Marco Wilkinson

Contact instructor for course description.

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LTWR 220 - TOPICS IN WRITING
Daily Poetics, Daily Practice
Instructor: Brandon Som

In this class, we will consider the possibilities for a daily poetic practice by looking at innovative writers and their innovative approaches to daily writing. We will look at Bernadette Mayer’s list of journal ideas, Kimiko Hahn and Harryette Mullen’s tanka journals, William Carlos Williams’ writings on his prescription pads, José García Villa’s practice of versifying found prose, Alexis Pauline Gumbs’ Instagram posts, and Edgar Garcia’s poetic record of his nightmares after reading the journals of Christopher Columbus. We will talk about journals, notebooks, pillow books, commonplace books, and social media posts. Based upon our readings, we will also participate in writing exercises—generating new work and sharing some of it out loud. In addition, we will look at contemporary cross genre books by Christina Sharpe, Brian Teare, Fady Joudah, Renee Gladman, and Kimko Hahn. Seminar participants will have the opportunity to write critical and/or creative responses to readings, to present on a specific book from the syllabus, to share and workshop developing writing, and to submit a final seminar paper or extended creative project.

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